Without its label, could you tell a can of tuna from a can of cat food?

Children are sometimes labeled by the adults that surround them, both positively and negatively. They say something like, ‘Sam’s the clumsy one.’ And, from the moment that Sam is labeled as ‘the clumsy one’, being clumsy becomes what he does best. Positive labels will, of course have the same effect. So when Jenna’s babysitter says, ‘Jenna’s the creative one in the family,’ this gives Jenna license to do wonderfully creative things.

Labels have a deep impact on how children feel about themselves, what they believe about themselves, and the images they carry of themselves. They have the power to define us and shape us into who we will become.

Our current Assistants to Infancy (ages 0-3) course students recently participated in an activity to address this issue in which they were each “labeled,” and then given a task to perform as a group.

Those ascribed traits included:

I am afraid of everything

I can't sit still or pay attention

I am a slow learner

I am unpredictable and likely to hurt you

Laugh at everything I say

I am normal

Within 15 minutes of being treated according to their label, all students could easily identify how they had been typecast. The following discussion and dialogue better helped our adult students understand the influence and power of labeling.

Learn more about our Assistants to Infancy course and curriculum by clicking here:

]]>The Clock in the Children's HouseFrom MNW StaffPrimaryResourcesNicholas StoccoMon, 04 May 2015 17:03:26 +0000http://montessori-nw.org/blog/the-clock-in-the-childrens-house519e5c43e4b036d1b98629c5:519e5e80e4b08ded484b0ca5:5543bf52e4b0952dec7cfe44Have you ever wondered how to introduce the clock in your classroom? Below
is a statement from the Scientific Pedagogy Group of the Association
Montessori International to clarify the use of the clock in the Children's
House. Following it, there is a link to a document that details how MNW
introduces the clock (and calendar) in our Primary teacher training
courses.Have you ever wondered how to introduce the clock in your classroom? Below is a statement from the Scientific Pedagogy Group of the Association Montessori International to clarify the use of the clock in the Children's House. Following it, there is a link to a document that details how MNW introduces the clock (and calendar) in our Primary teacher training courses.

What humans call ‘time’ is an experience grounded in the concrete sensorial world of nature, in observable patterns of natural phenomena. These patterns are perceived through the body-based senses (sight, touch, hearing, smell and taste), then organized through reason and the imagination into a mathematical system. Different groups of humans create different systems for accommodating the patterns called time. These systems are managed and transmitted as patterns of culture.

Time, then, is an aspect of human history and like other cultural subjects has an important place in a Montessori Children’s House – the same place as botany, zoology, geography, music, art and any other knowledge organized in the supra-nature. Our goal is to provide a guide for cultural transmission and establish an accurate and reliable foundation for aware, deliberate exploration in the Second Plane. As with those other ‘subjects’, we do this best through concrete, sensorial experience connected with spoken language.

Through true stories, conversation, books, poetry, songs and question games, we can use, introduce and clarify time-based vocabulary for even the youngest children. In the Mathematics area, an older child learns the mathematical language needed for ‘telling time’ – such as the counting numbers, their numeric symbols, skip counting, fractions, and possibly roman numerals. A special material for ‘teaching’ the clock is not necessary – Three Period Lessons with a working analog clock can introduce hour, minute and second hands, other parts of the clock, and the mental techniques for translating hand movements, hatch marks and numerals into an accurate reading of time. This clock can also be a focus for silence activities through which children experience a minute, two minutes, etc. Children who are reading can label the parts of the clock; older children can record the amount of time they spend on a particular activity; and the correlation between analog and digital displays of time can be made by direct comparison.

The preparations which create necessary readiness will determine the appropriate age for introducing activities related to time. From this perspective, other ideas for exploring a culture’s system for organizing time will present themselves, and similar explorations can occur around a culture’s calendar.

]]>“What is it to live sociably?” ResourcesFrom MNW StaffNicholas StoccoFri, 24 Apr 2015 17:24:09 +0000http://montessori-nw.org/blog/what-is-it-to-live-sociably519e5c43e4b036d1b98629c5:519e5e80e4b08ded484b0ca5:5537eee7e4b0c45515e0b647Ginni Sackett, Co-Director of Primary Training at Montessori Northwest,
addressed this question during a recent NAMTA workshop in Portland. She
asserts that the values of respect, dignity, and grace are vital qualities
to establish in an individual who can then infuse them into society at
large. Read her presentation, Empowering Children, Liberating Adults, for
details on how the tenets of Grace and Courtesy provide a foundation for a
positive social life.

Ginni Sackett, Co-Director of Primary Training at Montessori Northwest, addressed this question during a recent NAMTA workshop in Portland. She asserts that the values of respect, dignity, and grace are vital qualities to establish in an individual who can then infuse them into society at large. Read her presentation, Empowering Children, Liberating Adults, for details on how the tenets of Grace and Courtesy provide a foundation for a positive social life.

]]>Creating a Culture of Respect and Collaboration With ParentsFrom MNW StaffResourcesNicholas StoccoFri, 20 Mar 2015 19:10:15 +0000http://montessori-nw.org/blog/creating-a-culture-of-respect-and-collaboration-with-parents519e5c43e4b036d1b98629c5:519e5e80e4b08ded484b0ca5:55070942e4b07d289199cd12"The principles of grace and courtesy are based in respect. During our
Montessori training, we become conscious of what it means to “respect the
child” and we begin the process of inculcating this respect so that it may
infuse all of our interactions with children."

"The principles of grace and courtesy are based in respect. During our Montessori training, we become conscious of what it means to “respect the child” and we begin the process of inculcating this respect so that it may infuse all of our interactions with children. As time passes, this becomes second nature, at least with the children in our community. As we grow and develop as Montessori teachers, these “habits of mind” necessarily extend to frame our work with parents and other professionals so that we can create a culture of respect and collaboration that surrounds the child with love and support."

So begins the recent NAMTA Journal article written by Sarah Werner Andrews, Director of Primary Training at MNW. In it, Sarah describes the concept and process of building cooperative relations between the parents and the school. She speaks about the perception of the teacher and parents as each being unique and particular to the life and personality of each child. How the teacher must see the positive in the child and have a natural respect and dignity so both want to act for the greater good and, likewise, must treat the parents as wanting to make their own contribution to their child as part of the whole-child community. Finally, suggesting that diverse views of the same child are one of the most valuable offerings of a school. Click here to read the entire article.

Further reading:Tending the Light: Essays on Montessori Education by John R. Snyder. John describes in powerful, deep, and lovely language the philosophy, theory, and practice of his Montessori years. He has developed his work with children and with their parents, with guides and with support staff, and with mentors, consultants, and administrators both at Austin Montessori School and beyond. Through his collected writings-writings for this school, as well as for conferences and professional publications-not only Montessorians but all who care about the lives of children can find a source of information, inspiration, and guidance. Click here to purchase a copy of Tending the Light.

]]>Math, Memory, and ExplorationCorinne StastnyTue, 03 Mar 2015 19:51:05 +0000http://montessori-nw.org/blog/math-memory-and-exploration519e5c43e4b036d1b98629c5:519e5e80e4b08ded484b0ca5:54f0f337e4b0ffc3874f613dIn early February, educators and administrators working with children ages
3–12 gathered at Montessori Northwest to enjoy some chocolate, wine, and a
complimentary workshop on memorization of math facts in the Montessori
classroom environment.by Corinne Stastny

In early February, educators and administrators working with children ages 3–12 gathered at Montessori Northwest to enjoy some chocolate, wine, and a complimentary workshop on memorization of math facts in the Montessori classroom environment. This free workshop was offered as a special “thank you” to guides and administrators who offered to host Primary and Elementary 2014–15 MNW Teachers in Training for Observation and Practice Teaching. A listing of these schools appears on our website and was also featured on all MNW publicity for our recent Celebration of Light.

The evening’s discussion and demonstrations were facilitated by Elementary Director of Training, Elise Huneke Stone, and Primary Co-Directors of Training, Sarah Werner Andrews and Ginni Sackett. Initial reflections highlighted how guides must sometimes finesse this work if it was not offered to the child when their Absorbent Mind was still active. This certainly has implications for a child entering Elementary, but the Absorbent Mind does already begin to fade while a child is in the 3-6 environment. The ideal scenario is to offer the Memorization work soon after age 4 or 4.5. So if, in the Casa we feel we are fighting the tide of the child’s innate abilities and interests, what can we do to help children love, embrace and excel at this work as we understand children have done in Casas around the world for over a century?

Indirect preparations set a good foundation for success. In Primary, this includes not only Memory/Distance Games in Sensorial, but also memorizing things like poems and songs. Cultivating children’s interest in “Exactness and Precision” is possible via Points of Interest in Practical Life and inviting them to elevate their handwriting and Metal Inset work.

To share the full range of exploration and depth of the activities in the Memory Work, don’t delay! The Snakes begin with simply counting to ten. Introduce how to use the Snake, then get going to that meaty second activity commonly called “2 by 2.” The beads for the equation are isolated away from the Snake, giving the child a very strong, focused image of that Essential Combination. Primary guides’ albums outline great depth and variety for each Memorization material. Confidently, regularly, and earnestly offering the children the activities beyond the initial presentation will yield direct results in the Memorization Work in terms of the children’s success and happiness. Also, consider the preview of the Essential Combinations in the Number Rod work with Sums/Differences of Ten and Less than Ten. This early work could be even be given some extra gravitas by perhaps inviting a child to write the sums on a chalkboard if you think this might bring them some satisfaction and delight.

Remember the joy and fun that can and should accompany all of these activities. Think of the rules, patterns, exploration, suspense, and interest that accompany board games. Those apply here! The rules of the Strip Boards, the suspense of getting to 10 in a Snake, checking if your answers are correct with a Chart. Believe that this can be fun and it will be.

Lastly, do not discount how beauty and/or a social element can connect and energize a child’s experience of these exercises.

Facilitate opportunities for the child’s aesthetic/expressive connection to the work:

Make little posters or booklets on pretty paper of How Many Ways

Keep a “Heart Book” of facts that the children already know – they can add to it as they commit more to memory

When the child checks their written tables for accuracy, what if they then added a small design to indicate that an answer is correct?

If this area of the classroom looks lifeless, consider how a new container for the tiles or a new Snake Game underlay might liven things up

Embrace children’s natural social tendencies. While the key presentation for these materials might typically be given to an individual child, allow for a social element to be a possible avenue for the children to initiate or for you to offer up if/when it feels like a match. If children spontaneously do the work together, no need to stop them. (Read more on what Montessori and current research says about cooperative and peer learning) Here’s some visions for what might develop here, particularly for children older than 5:

Memorize five facts and then teach them to a friend

Partners side by side, making sure they both get the same answer

Quiz each other

Learning these by heart is the goal. There is a point at which we just embrace this with the child. Knowing these all by heart will become possible and will be useful! Find opportunities for application in the natural everyday life of the classroom such as:

If there are always 6 pencils in the math writing area, and there are 4 now, how many are missing?

How many food pellets does a pet consume weekly?

If 3 different art activities need 5 pieces of watercolor paper, how many need to be cut and distributed all together?

If we have 25 children, and we want each to have 2 chunks of cheese for snack, how many pieces do we need all together?

Corinne Stastny is the Primary Course Assistant at MNW. She feels extremely lucky to call Montessori her profession and loves sharing Montessori with her 5 year-old daughter, Stella

]]>Math, Memory, and ExplorationBuilding A Montessori Community WorkshopEventsWorkshopsNicholas StoccoMon, 02 Mar 2015 22:09:12 +0000http://montessori-nw.org/blog/building-a-montessori-community-workshop519e5c43e4b036d1b98629c5:519e5e80e4b08ded484b0ca5:54f4dd87e4b0f54e36c4daacMontessori Northwest is pleased to host the National Center for Montessori
in the Public Sector’s (NCMPS) Traveling Workshops for New and Early Stage
Public Montessori schools April 24-25, 2015.Montessori Northwest is pleased to host the National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector’s (NCMPS) Traveling Workshops for New and Early Stage Public Montessori schools April 24-25, 2015.

NCMPS will offer three sessions that are tailored for Montessori leaders and others interested in starting and improving public Montessori schools, including founding groups, boards, superintendents, administrators, parents, and teachers. The experience and information provided will support moving your ideas off of the table and into reality.

While Friday’s session is geared specifically toward starting a public school, Saturday’s sessions will appeal to current and future leaders, board members and founding groups in the public and private sectors.

WORKSHOP INFORMATION

Starting a Public Montessori School - Friday April 24, 6:00-8:30pm

This session will focus on a step-by-step process for public school start-up, including charter, district, and magnet programs. The session will cover everything from assessing readiness to ensuring the first day goes smoothly: establishing a timeline, community engagement, financial and staffing needs, gathering a founding team, gaining support, and navigating the approval process.

Where is Your School on the Path to Full Implementation? An Evaluation Tool for Continuous Improvement - Saturday, April 25, 9:30am-Noon

Self-evaluation and strategic planning help spell-out plans for improvement and guide their successful execution. This session will focus on The Essential Elements Rubric, a powerful tool created by NCMPS to support this self-evaluation and continuous improvement.

Vision, Mission and Action: Establishing a Healthy Professional Community - Saturday, April 25, 1:00-3:30pm

Clear goals and open lines of communication are the foundation for creating and maintaining a purposeful, mission-driven professional community. This session focuses on steps to take in establishing operating assumptions that will guide communication, collaboration, and the professional culture of your Montessori school. Participants will hear stories of success and struggles from the field and leave with an action plan and timeline to take back to their own schools and faculties.

registration for this event is now closed.

]]>History in the MakingGraduatesFunElementaryFrom MNW StaffAssistants to InfancyPrimaryGlenn GoodfellowWed, 18 Feb 2015 00:22:52 +0000http://montessori-nw.org/blog/history-in-the-making519e5c43e4b036d1b98629c5:519e5e80e4b08ded484b0ca5:54e3ce2fe4b056b9f0664663In order to best preserve and showcase this rich history, we've recently
launched a new pictorial timeline. In it you can see the faces of many of
the people who have made MNW such a fun and dynamic place to learn. But
there are still gaps.

1980 MNW's First Primary Course

by Glenn Goodfellow

And whereas our mission has remained the same over the course of these past 35 years, Montessori Northwest hasn't always looked the same. For example, did you know that both our location and name have changed a few times?

In order to best preserve and showcase this rich history, we've recently launched a new pictorial timeline. In it you can see the faces of many of the people who have made MNW such a fun and dynamic place to learn. But there are still gaps.

We could use your help filling in some of the years for which we have no pictures. Do you have any images from your time at Montessori Northwest that you might send us? We'd love to see them, especially from the older years.

Glenn Goodfellow is the Executive Assistant at MNW. He has a Cordon Bleu degree as a Pastry Chef and enjoys teaching baking and other culinary skills to teachers and children. He is proud to serve on the Board of Oregon Safe Schools & Communities Coalition doing LGBTQ anti-bullying work.

]]>Elementary TimelinesElementaryFrom MNW StaffMaterialsElise Huneke-StoneThu, 05 Feb 2015 17:40:44 +0000http://montessori-nw.org/blog/elementary-timelines519e5c43e4b036d1b98629c5:519e5e80e4b08ded484b0ca5:54d25d5ae4b00a50a67fe7c7Dr. Montessori recognized that elementary children had a special
sensitivity for the acquisition of culture. One way we feed this need is
through the introduction of timelines.By Elise Hunke-Stone

“Timelines are not meant to give children all the facts, but are intended to stoke the reasoning mind.” - Merrett Krahn, MNW Elementary Course Assistant

Dr. Montessori recognized that elementary children had a special sensitivity for the acquisition of culture. One way we feed this need is through the introduction of timelines. Timelines allow teachers to present information as part of a large-scale narrative that unfolds the origins of the earth, life, human communities, and modern history, all within the context of the wholeness of life. By providing children with an overview of key principles, timelines help them to unlock the many mysteries the universe and to organize their thoughts and imaginings.

As part of the teacher training program at MNW, elementary students prepare several timelines to be used in their classrooms (the Black Strip, the Hand Timeline, and the Timeline of Life, to name a few). Like many of the Montessori materials, especially those associated with stories, teacher-prepared timelines are purposely limited. They are designed to raise questions for the children to answer for themselves, and are used to inspire research or Going Out (when the elementary children move beyond the classroom in search of information). The teacher-prepared timelines are also catalysts to discussion, speculation, and debate among the children.

MNW elementary students are also given another opportunity to experience timelines via the Student Timeline Project. This coursework is meant to give a glimpse into the life of elementary children, who are free to create timelines of their own interests. Students on the course form small groups, choose a topic of interest, and create a timeline with the same open-ended parameters that will be experienced by children. The project also includes an opportunity to share the finished timeline with peers, and to be an audience for others sharing their timelines. MNW students experience the brainstorming, division of labor, negotiation, problem-solving, compromise, and communication necessary for doing such a project. These are the same skills that the children will develop in their work, and they are valuable skills for success in the adult world as well!

Elementary student, Saragrace describes her experience, “Coming together as a group to create a timeline was more difficult than I thought it would be. Once we decided on our topic, I couldn’t believe how much information we were able to dig up. Discerning what bits of our research to include proved to be hard work as well. I appreciated seeing and learning about the other groups’ timelines. It made me realize how people think differently and that I’ll need to remember to allow the children to dive into the work because they may come up with something I never would have thought about. I’m thankful for the insights I gained from this project.”

We at MNW especially appreciate the opportunity for the students on the course to have some time to share their own passions and interests with us and with each other, while learning how to better serve the children. The Student Timeline Project is a way to integrate the personal and the professional during this busy time of training, and will be remembered fondly when the course is over.

Elise Huneke-Stone is Director of Elementary Training at MNW. In addition to her Montessori work, Elise has worked with families as a certified natural childbirth educator and doula. She is a spare-time novelist, lyricist and poet.

]]>Course ConnectionsElementaryPrimaryFrom MNW StaffMichelle BeckaFri, 09 Jan 2015 17:27:27 +0000http://montessori-nw.org/blog/connections-between-primary-and-elementary-at-mnw519e5c43e4b036d1b98629c5:519e5e80e4b08ded484b0ca5:547f5ca0e4b0c27762e52d50Do you remember the description that Montessori offers in The Discovery of
the Child, in which the Golden Bead materials that she had originally
designed for the Elementary children instead became adored and cherished by
the 4 and 5 year olds in the Primary classroom?by Michelle Becka

Do you remember the description that Montessori offers in The Discovery of the Child, in which the Golden Bead materials that she had originally designed for the Elementary children instead became adored and cherished by the 4 and 5 year olds in the Primary classroom? Anyone who has worked in a school serving multiple levels can attest to the power of having Elementary classrooms in sight of Primary age children; the level of intrigue that the younger have for the older children, the love and affection for their “old” environment that the Elementary have for their former Primary classroom, it is such a fabulous opportunity for cross pollination.

This cross pollination is actively occurring at MNW, and in fact is one of the many benefits of our facility, in which all three levels of training are offered in the same building. Recently, Sarah Werner Andrews, one of the Primary Trainers, who is also Elementary trained, offered the Primary students a lesson on the Pythagorean Theorem. This lesson employs the Constructive Triangles, which in the Primary are used for language and sensorial exploration. Once the child is in Elementary, the same triangles are used to prove the Pythagorean Theorem. The Primary students were excited to see this connection and to get a glimpse of what the child experiences once they leave the Casa.

Another great connection was made when one of the Elementary students shared the story of The Coming of Life with the Primary course. The students hung onto Katie’s every word as she dramatically described how it all began! Afterwards, we had a brief discussion about how the mind of the Second Plane child is different from that of the First Plane, and we decided we would love to meet again to hear the next story in the series.

Montessori saw this work as Education for Life, and it is so excellent to be able to see the larger picture; to train at one level, yet still get little insights into where the child has been, and where they are heading, on their path of self-construction.

Michelle Becka is absolutely thrilled to be pursuing the Training of Trainers Programme at MNW. She loves practicing yoga, riding her bike, reading great books, and learning new things.

]]>Seeing The Big PicturePrimaryFrom MNW StaffSarah Werner AndrewsFri, 12 Dec 2014 19:07:13 +0000http://montessori-nw.org/blog/the-big-picture519e5c43e4b036d1b98629c5:519e5e80e4b08ded484b0ca5:547f48ece4b083f708d242caOne of the more challenging aspects of Montessori teacher training is
understanding the developmental progressions of the materials.

by Sarah Werner Andrews

One of the more challenging aspects of Montessori teacher training is understanding the developmental progressions of the materials. We all understand that presentations are not given according to a checklist or because a child is a particular age, so how do we know when to offer lessons and what a child might be choosing from in different areas of the environment?

One of the ways we help students get this “big picture” is through an activity of laying out all of the materials in relationship to one another according to developmental progressions. To create these progressions, students discuss how sensitive periods might draw a child to a particular activity, what types of preliminary abilities or concepts may come into play, the level of difficulty, how the activity is currently set up, and other factors that might determine when an activity might be offered. As there is no one “right way,” students share their rationale, and the factors that went into making the choices they made. This is a great activity on many levels, and we find it particularly useful as we are finishing up an area to help students integrate their understanding before we begin new presentations in a new area of the environment.

]]>Saturday Academy at MNWPartnershipsEventsElementaryMaterialsFrom MNW StaffNicholas StoccoThu, 11 Dec 2014 18:47:28 +0000http://montessori-nw.org/blog/saturday-academy519e5c43e4b036d1b98629c5:519e5e80e4b08ded484b0ca5:548638c6e4b07d0d9231e129Montessori Northwest is pleased to announce it has partnered with Saturday
Academy, a non-profit group, associated with University of Portland.
Saturday Academy facilitates hands-on classes and camps for school age
children (grades 2-12). Our offering is titled, Triangles on the Nile:
Ancient Tools for Today’s Design.

Montessori Northwest is pleased to announce it has partnered with Saturday Academy, a non-profit group, associated with University of Portland. Saturday Academy facilitates hands-on classes and camps for school age children (grades 2-12). Our offering is titled, Triangles on the Nile: Ancient Tools for Today’s Design. Spanning three Saturdays (2/28, 3/7, & 3/14), MNW staff, Merrett Krahn and Braden Pemberton, will be the instructors, overseeing current Elementary students, who will be giving lessons to the children.

In order for the folks at Saturday Academy to become more familiar with Montessori, Director of Elementary training, Elise Huneke-Stone, presented at their annual Teacher Development Workshop last week. Her workshop focused on “hands-on learning” and demonstrating how Montessori uses materials that can be manipulated with the hand to teach concepts like area, squaring, time zones, and more.

If you know a second or third grader who’d be interested in taking this class, please pass along the info below.

Class Info

What: Triangles on the Nile: Ancient Tools for Today’s DesignWhere: Montessori Northwest, 622 SE Grand Avenue Portland, OR 97214When: February 28, March 7, and March 14 10:00am - NoonFor: Second & Third GradersDescription: Travel 2,000 years into the past as you explore how Ancient Egyptians developed basic geometric principles. Investigate geometry through history, language, and mathematics while using the basic concepts of equivalence, congruence and similarity. Students will learn how to measure farming plots like Ancient Egyptians and work in small groups to create unique design projects. Delve into the Pythagorean Theorem and Euclid’s Elements through hands-on discoveries.Cost: $89Spots: 16

]]>Saturday Academy at MNWVolunteers NeededFunEventsGraduatesGlenn GoodfellowWed, 10 Dec 2014 19:25:09 +0000http://montessori-nw.org/blog/volunteers-needed-1519e5c43e4b036d1b98629c5:519e5e80e4b08ded484b0ca5:54889889e4b04adaacc4db51Planning for January 30th’s Celebration of Light, Montessori Northwest’s
annual dinner and party (more on that here), is in full swing. For 10 years
the event has been a fabulously sparkly recognition of MNW’s work and the
work of all Montessorians in the Pacific Northwest. This year’s Celebration
will feature live music, games, a photo booth, open bar, and delicious
dinner.

Planning for January 30th’s Celebration of Light, Montessori Northwest’s annual dinner and party (more on that here), is in full swing. For 10 years the event has been a fabulously sparkly recognition of MNW’s work and the work of all Montessorians in the Pacific Northwest. This year’s Celebration will feature live music, games, a photo booth, open bar, and delicious dinner.

The Celebration of Light organizational committee is looking for several local volunteers to help make this event twinkle.

More specifically, we are looking for people that are able to construct décor items, further develop our games and interactive activities, as well as set-up and work on the day of the event.

If you’re interested in volunteering, please drop Angelika Steinberg a note by either clicking here or writing her at angelika@montessori-nw.org.

Also, please mark your calendar for two drop-in Volunteer Work Parties taking place at MNW:

Saturday, January 10th - 10AM-2PMSaturday, January 24th - 10AM-2PM

We also hope that you'll plan on supporting the event, either by purchasing tickets or becoming a Sponsor. You can do both by clicking here.

Thanks for your consideration--We look forward to hearing from you!

]]>Volunteers NeededPrimary Material Making Winter ShowcaseMaterialsPrimaryFrom MNW StaffCorinne StastnyMon, 08 Dec 2014 21:12:42 +0000http://montessori-nw.org/blog/primary-material-making-winter-showcase519e5c43e4b036d1b98629c5:519e5e80e4b08ded484b0ca5:547f61c3e4b09257c91e9734The biannual showcase of our Primary students’ Material Making is one of
our favorite times of year here at Montessori Northwest. Yesterday, our
lecture area boasted a glorious display of their Practical Life and
Sensorial Material Making for children between the ages of 3-6. It was a
joy to peruse their creations.by Corinne Stastny

The biannual showcase of our Primary students’ Material Making is one of our favorite times of year here at Montessori Northwest. Last week, our lecture area boasted a glorious display of their Practical Life and Sensorial Material Making for children between the ages of 3-6. It was a joy to peruse their creations. In April, we’ll get to see their Language Materials as well (click here for a glimpse at the display from last year’s course).

Creating Montessori classroom materials both deepens and reflects the students’ understanding of the 3-6 curriculum and the characteristics of ideal materials for this age. While always reflecting each student’s unique aesthetics and interests, all materials have the same qualities at heart:

correspond to purposes of the subject area

age appropriate

child sized components

durable construction

primarily natural materials

aesthetically pleasing

complete

While the Material Making is displayed, students and staff browse around and get some great ideas as to how to find and create materials for the classroom. Below are a few vignettes of components and ideas that caught my eye this year. I’ve also attached the most recent version of a long standing and ever-evolving document we have here at MNW – Shopping Destinations for Material Making. Enjoy and feel free to leave a comment below with any tips you have to share as we all strive to keep our environments beautiful and interesting!

Traditionally, color coding is used to indicate that all materials in an activity belong together. Sometimes using a thematic design element can serve the same purpose. We love these whales from a handwashing activity, and the brown/black/white spiral elements on this sewing activity (This tray is one of several great ones the students found at City Liquidators)

Here’s a couple inspiring approaches to the Smelling Jars. Toss rice in essential oils, place in a colored cloth bag, to make a simple, beautiful, and effective scent! The jars on the left look like expensive, vintage perfume bottles, but are in fact just clear bottles with opaque paint on the interior, then baked. In addition, this student chose to have some coffee beans nearby if the child wanted to neutralize between scents.

We always love inspiration for adding a beautiful embellishment to a material to enhance color coding or simply make it more visually appealing. This red sewing activity has put many techniques to use! Stained wood (thank you Joann Crafts’), embellishments of ribbon, zigzag paper tape (washi tape), and bright fabric lining on the tray to help keep everything from sliding around.

Corinne Stastny is the Primary Course Assistant at MNW. She feels extremely lucky to call Montessori her profession and loves sharing Montessori with her 5 year-old daughter.

]]>MNW Staff Holiday Movie FavoritesFunFrom MNW StaffNicholas StoccoFri, 05 Dec 2014 21:47:21 +0000http://montessori-nw.org/blog/mnw-staff-holiday-movie-favorites519e5c43e4b036d1b98629c5:519e5e80e4b08ded484b0ca5:5482247de4b088838f12dcbdThe images below are of the MNW staff's favorite holiday movies. Each staff
member was only allowed to name one as their top pick. A couple favored the
same film. Everyone had reasons for their choice, although some needed a
little more explaining than others. What movie gets you into the holiday
spirit?The images below are of the MNW staff's favorite holiday movies. Each staff member was only allowed to name one as their top pick. A couple favored the same film. Everyone had reasons for their choice, although some needed a little more explaining than others. What movie gets you into the holiday spirit?
]]>HolidaysElementaryAssistants to InfancyPrimaryResourcesFrom MNW StaffGinni SackettFri, 05 Dec 2014 19:01:37 +0000http://montessori-nw.org/blog/holidays-by-ginni-sackett519e5c43e4b036d1b98629c5:519e5e80e4b08ded484b0ca5:526ec4cde4b0c67dab629368The holidays are approaching – ushering in a frequently scary season for
Montessori teachers. We often have conflicted feelings around holidays and
events that occur in the larger culture – afraid that these distract
children from their work, disrupt the calm and productive atmosphere in the
environment, and are just plain bothersome to us. I’d like to propose
changing those feelings and finding ways to see these popular culture
events as positive elements in the environment and exploring ways to
channel them in support of each child’s development.by Ginni Sackett

The holidays are approaching – ushering in a frequently scary season for Montessori teachers. We often have conflicted feelings around holidays and events that occur in the larger culture – afraid that these distract children from their work, disrupt the calm and productive atmosphere in the environment, and are just plain bothersome to us. I’d like to propose changing those feelings and finding ways to see these popular culture events as positive elements in the environment and exploring ways to channel them in support of each child’s development.

All human cultures have holidays. Here are some developmentally appropriate reasons to accept and embrace holidays in the lives of young children.

Holidays are an expression of universal human needs and tendencies and they occur predictably as a universal expression of human existence across time and space

They are an important part of the cosmic human experience – holidays structure our orientation to and interpretation of our experience as a species and as individuals; they order and regulate our relationship to the human and non-human worlds, to both everyday and profound experience, to the known and the unknown

Holidays are extremely significant for human social, emotional, and spiritual life and they are closely connected with our culturally-derived definitions of the sacred (the English word comes from “holy-days”)

Holidays tend to be highly ritualized: individuals as well as social groups become strongly connected to and dependent upon the repetition of holiday-specific events and activities to regulate their lives

Holidays are culturally specific – they are often seasonal events that repeat according to a predictable time schedule from year to year, associated with specific seasonal conditions

Strong emotional attachments develop around these events, part of the deep-seated feelings of love and attachment for one’s time and place created by the Absorbent Mind

So, these are the universal human realities we’re up against when we try to ignore the holidays occurring everywhere else in our children’s lives. Strategies such as acting as if they aren’t happening, or telling children not to talk about them, mean that we aren’t acknowledging the significance they hold in children’s lives. In fact, I would suggest that when we react against holidays in these ways, we are passing judgment onto the culture our children are adapting to and onto the child for wanting to adapt to that culture. And that kind of unspoken, negative judgment just doesn’t seem like a desirable foundation for a positive relationship between a developing child and an adult guide (or the guide and parents either!).

In a culture such as we have here in the United States, we also often react against holidays because so many of the ways they are ‘celebrated’ go against the characteristics and needs of children. But we don’t have to throw out the baby with the bath water! Instead, we are in the perfect position to offer a balancing experience which can focus and relieve children of the burdens of holiday hype.

Here are some ways to start that:

First, do your homework: what holidays typically occur in the lives of your own community of children? Find some information about the origins of those cultural events – there’s a good chance that there will be a concrete, sensorial context that helped previous humans come to terms with some aspect of life on this planet. For example: Halloween was once new year’s eve, marking the end of the harvest and the start of a new year in northern and temperate biomes; Christmas is one of many festivals that just happen to occur around the return of light after the winter solstice – another profound and potentially scary time for those humans living above the tropics; Valentine’s Day is a remnant festival marking the mating of birds in southern Europe and like Easter is one of many festivals that celebrated the promise of the Spring Equinox.

Next, find ways to incorporate these concrete, sensorial origins into the life of the children’s community – applying all of the principles of Montessori education, child development, and work which inspire Montessori environments. Stories, songs, specific vocabulary, language cards, carefully chosen artifacts, question games, food preparation, expression and art, geography, zoology, and botany can all provide ready opportunities to structure the holiday experiences which are happening in our children’s lives outside our protected classrooms

Create some parent education opportunities to share Montessori perspectives that match the universal development of their children

Create your own rituals in the classroom around these annual events so that children experience the positive role of holidays in human life, but in ways that are calm, happy, and productive for everyone (including you!).

When I began to apply these strategies in my own Casa, I discovered that holidays aren’t scary or disruptive at all; in fact, the time between Thanksgiving and the winter holidays became one of my favorite times of the year. I also discovered that – once that negative judgment was eliminated from our environment – children not only enjoyed our cultural cycles but they actually were able to naturally and spontaneously settle into wonderful, normalized work right up to that last day before winter break.

Let’s not leave our children at the mercy of commercialized and hyped-up American holidays. Let’s do what we do best: prepare and provide a safe and supportive environment that channels those scattered and frantic energies and actually help children not only survive but more importantly enjoy these seasonal events in harmony with our universal tendencies and needs.

Ginni Sackett is Director of Primary Training at MNW. She is also a third-degree black belt in the Indonesian martial art of Poekoelan Tjimindie Tulen, enjoys exploring the charms of Portland, and loves spending time with her family, including her three grandchildren.

]]>Thoughtful Holiday Gift IdeasResourcesFrom MNW StaffNicholas StoccoFri, 05 Dec 2014 18:12:31 +0000http://montessori-nw.org/blog/thoughtful-holiday-gift-ideas519e5c43e4b036d1b98629c5:519e5e80e4b08ded484b0ca5:547e48b5e4b06e597477e4ceDo you want to avoid succumbing to consumer madness during the holidays? Do
you have a hard time thinking of meaningful gifts to give to family and
friends? If so, here’s a list of thoughtful things you can do with or for
loved ones without breaking the bank or camping out in a parking lot for
three days.

by Nicholas Stocco

Do you want to avoid succumbing to consumer madness during the holidays? Do you have a hard time thinking of meaningful gifts to give to family and friends? If so, here’s a list of thoughtful things you can do with or for loved ones without breaking the bank or camping out in a parking lot for three days:

Create a personal website for someone, complete with photos.

Create a picnic for the two of you, the whole family, or a group of friends.

Plan a day trip into nature.

Create a scrapbook.

Find a board game at Goodwill and customize it for the person’s personality.

Create a video with family and friends sharing what they love about the person.

Usually, we see similar lists geared towards children, but these “gifts” can be for any age. The list, which we edited slightly, was created by Leo Babauta for his blog, Zen Habits. He explains, “These aren’t all free, but they aren’t part of the consumerist holiday shopping tradition. They take extra effort, which is why they’re special. The loved ones in your life are worth more than a few clicks online and a hit to your credit card." Indeed!

Nicholas Stocco is Communications Director at MNW. He is also serves as Board Secretary for the Montessori Administrators Association. In his free time likes to run in the woods, eat ginger snaps, and watch movies.

]]>Adele Diamond talks TEDxPrimaryResourcesFrom MNW StaffGlenn GoodfellowMon, 01 Dec 2014 18:40:41 +0000http://montessori-nw.org/blog/adele-diamond-talks-tedx519e5c43e4b036d1b98629c5:519e5e80e4b08ded484b0ca5:547cb3afe4b06dd3acb8025eAdele Diamond, Ph.D., neuroscientist, psychologist and educational
innovator, is one of the world's leading researchers in developmental
science--and a great advocate for Montessori. She studies how executive
functions can be modified by the environment, modulated by genetics and
neurochemistry, become derailed in certain disorders, and can be improved
by effective programs and interventions.from Glenn Goodfellow

Adele Diamond, Ph.D., neuroscientist, psychologist and educational innovator, is one of the world's leading researchers in developmental science--and a great advocate for Montessori. She studies how executive functions can be modified by the environment, modulated by genetics and neurochemistry, become derailed in certain disorders, and can be improved by effective programs and interventions.

For those looking for more information on Executive Functions, some information is included below:

The executive functions are a set of processes that all have to do with managing oneself and one's resources in order to achieve a goal. It is an umbrella term for the neurologically-based skills involving mental control and self-regulation.

When children have opportunities to develop executive function and self-regulation skills, researchers like Adele Diamond have found that individuals and society experience lifelong benefits. These skills are crucial for learning and development. They also enable positive behavior and allow us to make healthy choices for ourselves and our families.

Executive function and self-regulation skills depend on three types of brain function: working memory, mental flexibility, and self-control. These functions are highly interrelated. Each type of skill draws on elements of the others, and the successful application of executive function skills requires them to operate in coordination with each other.

Working memory governs our ability to retain and manipulate distinct pieces of information over short periods of time.

Mental flexibility helps us to sustain or shift attention in response to different demands or to apply different rules in different settings.

Self-control enables us to set priorities and resist impulsive actions or responses.

Learn more about Adele Diamond's work and the study of Executive Functioning by visiting her website: www.devcogneuro.com

]]>The "Practice Society"ElementaryResourcesFrom MNW StaffElise Huneke-StoneTue, 25 Nov 2014 00:07:27 +0000http://montessori-nw.org/blog/the-practice-society519e5c43e4b036d1b98629c5:519e5e80e4b08ded484b0ca5:5473b4c8e4b03fe7e3b65ff1Children in the second plane have what Montessori described as a “special
sensitivity for the acquisition of culture.” This understanding was at the
core of the discussion during Elise Huneke-Stone’s recent NAMTA workshop in
Seattle: The “Practice Society.” Participants in this workshop looked at
how the elementary classroom offers children an invaluable opportunity to
use their reasoning minds and imaginations to explore how communities live,
work, and create their own culture.

By Elise Huneke-Stone

Children in the second plane have what Montessori described as a “special sensitivity for the acquisition of culture.” This understanding was at the core of the discussion during Elise Huneke-Stone’s recent NAMTA workshop in Seattle: The “Practice Society.” Participants in this workshop looked at how the elementary classroom offers children an invaluable opportunity to use their reasoning minds and imaginations to explore how communities live, work, and create their own culture. Within this “practice society,” children navigate social and moral experiences that prepare them for global citizenship. Click here to view some of Elise’s presentation slides.

Another highlight of the elementary portion of the conference came during Gerry Leonard’s workshop, “Bringing Cosmic Fables to Life.” Listening to a good story is a universally loved human activity, and Gerry reminded us of how storytelling has a special place in our elementary practice. Next, participants were invited to write their own stories after hearing several inspiring tales from Gerry. One of the participants, Lisa Thauvette from International Montessori in Tevuren, Belgium, shared a wonderful story about Louis Braille, inventor of the Braille alphabet. Click here to read and download Lisa’s story.

]]>Cultivating Global Undestanding in ChildrenSarah Werner AndrewsMon, 24 Nov 2014 22:44:13 +0000http://montessori-nw.org/blog/qpktkw8ixejq1cea7nm7zvxkmysxa4519e5c43e4b036d1b98629c5:519e5e80e4b08ded484b0ca5:54739a43e4b00267ef516142“The child who has felt a strong love for his surroundings and for all
living creatures, who has discovered joy and enthusiasm in work, gives us
reason to hope that humanity can develop in a new direction. Our hope for
peace in the future lies not in the formal knowledge the adult can pass on
to the child, but in the normal development of the new man.”

from Sarah Werner Andrews

“The child who has felt a strong love for his surroundings and for all living creatures, who has discovered joy and enthusiasm in work, gives us reason to hope that humanity can develop in a new direction. Our hope for peace in the future lies not in the formal knowledge the adult can pass on to the child, but in the normal development of the new man.” (Montessori, Education and Peace, “The Form Education Should Take.”p. 58)

This quote was the unifying theme for Sarah Werner Andrews’ recent NAMTA workshop in Seattle: “Cultivating the Keys for Global Understanding.” In this lively and inspiring workshop, participants looked at how geography and spoken language activities, music, and dance can help children develop joyful relationships within their community, and approach the geography activities with excitement and enthusiasm. Click here for a booklist thoughtfully prepared to cultivate global understanding. Right click and save the beautiful sample pictures in the gallery below to use for conversations, true stories, and moveable alphabet prompts. Both of these resources are focused on sharing with children ages 3-6.

In the meantime, Maria picked out the biggest and most flowery potatoes. You might have guessed: she was going to prepare potatato gnocchi. While potatoes were boiling, we prepared the sauce: meat lightly fried in oil together with onions, celery and carrots, garlic and parsley, red wine, salt, pepper, a tiny little bit of sugar and don’t forget the nutmeg! Daddy, meanwhile, took care of the main dish. Once the potatoes were cooked, the boiling hot potatoes had to be peeled. Just thinking of it today, I can feel my fingers burn again. After mashing them, we added the flour and worked the mixture; we made small rolls from the dough, and then cut each roll into small pieces, and with the use of a fork and through a special “tour de main” the “gnocchi” were made. After that we threw the gnocchi into the boiling water and when they came to the surface, we knew they were ready.

Gnocchi di Patate - This type of gnocchi is featured in a lot of Northern Italian cuisine and is probably what most of us actually know as gnocchi. It's made by mixing mashed potatoes with flour and egg to form a thick, starchy pasta dough. This dough is rolled into ropes and then cut into individual nuggets before being boiled. Potato gnocchi should ideally have a light, springy texture, and they're great served in a simple sauce.